There’s a new sport coupe out there, one boasting great power, great looks and an amazing amount of refinement and sophistication, especially considering the source. It’s an example of what a car company that’s on the ball can do, even with tough times facing the industry. With this car, its manufacturer is signaling the competition that it’s not going to take new challenges, or tough times, lying down.

The car is the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and, as luck would have it, I had the keys to one the same week that I was due in Las Vegas to drive another game-changing car: the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. If someone had told me just a couple years ago that Hyundai would make such a sophisticated performance coupe at a bargain price, I’d have laughed my ass off. Not now. The Genesis Coupe is for real.

Considering the price and performance parity between the two, comparing them was a no-brainer. Heck, the Genesis Coupe has been billed as a Mustang Killer since it was unveiled at last year’s New York Auto Show. In all honesty, I thought one of the two cars would blow the other out of the water. Maybe the Ford’s American V-8 power would shame the V-6 Korean, easily making up for its lack of finesse. Or the Genesis Coupe might be so nicely balanced that every ugly wart on the Mustang would be enlarged by contrast.

Instead, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT still has all that chest-thumping power, but with a healthy dose of refinement unknown to Mustangs since, well, ever. On the other hand, despite having “only” a V-6, the Genesis coupe is a blast to drive, with power to spare and precise handling. Picking a winner between the two was going to be tougher than I thought.

I do my comparison tests a little differently; read about it here. For those who live by the numbers, these two cars are evenly matched. Both get to 60 mph in the mid- to low- 5 second range, and they go through the quarter mile in about 14 seconds, plus or minus a couple tenths. Their weights are within shouting distance, they have very similar power-to-weight ratios, and most importantly, they cost about the same, as long as you don’t get crazy with the options on the Mustang.

But all that number-crunching left-brain logic doesn’t mean much out on the streets, where a sport coupe has to look good, make you feel like a badass, impress your friends, and of course lay serious rubber at a moment’s notice. Time for a Right Brain Comparison Test! I decided on seven essential elements that any sport coupe must have if it’s to command the attention of enthusiasts, and whichever nails the most is the winner.

Burnouts

There are lots of very good front-drive sporty cars out there, but rear drive is king because it handles better, there cars are better balanced…and front-wheel drive burnouts are lame. Both cars excel at smoking their rear tires, like God intended, thanks in part to traction control that can be shut off entirely. The 2010 Genesis Coupe has plenty of power, and if you dump the clutch and stop the gas, you get yourself two very nice stripes thanks to the Torsen limited slip. However, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT has this one nailed. It makes tons more torque than the Hyundai (325 lb.-ft at 4,250 rpm vs. 266 lb.-ft. at 4,700 rpm), and even though the peak engine speeds are about the same, there’s just a heap more from the V-8, so accessing it means merely standing hard on the throttle from a stop. Advantage: Mustang

Kick-In-The-Pants

Both cars accelerate plenty hard, no doubt about it. The differences between them mean that driver skill will play a role, although the Mustang will ultimately be quicker. That said, there are lots of cars that are fun to hammer on even if they aren’t the quickest of the bunch. How a car’s acceleration feels is almost as important as how fast it actually is. The Hyundai’s V-6 builds power gradually, with a solid low and midrange that swells to an aggressive-sounding redline. It’s definitely very satisfying, and the slick six-speed manual is a joy to use. The Mustang, on the other hand, has a big stompin’ V-8 under the hood. Torque is the order of the day, along with a stirring V-8 soundtrack and a solid five-speed manual. It’s a tough call, partly because the stick in the Genesis Coupe is lighter than the one in the Mustang, but I couldn’t resist romping on the Mustang’s throttle just to feel that big swell of torque. Advantage: Mustang

Handling

Once upon a time, conventional wisdom said all a sporty car had to do was go fast in a straight line. Once upon a time, CW also said the Earth was flat. Times change, and these days if a sport coupe can’t corner, it’s not on the must-have list. Both the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe have the goods, with front engines, rear drive and quick, accurate steering. However, the Genesis Coupe has a couple of advantages. First, its steering isn’t overboosted like the Mustang and has better overall feel. Second, the Genesis Coupe has an independent rear suspension, while the Mustang still makes due with a solid rear axle. Note that the Mustang that I drove didn’t have the Ford’s Track Pack option, while the Hyundai did, and that could make a difference. Still, while Ford has made strides with hits setup, it doesn’t have the sophistication of the Hyundai, and it shows. Advantage: Genesis Coupe

Rubbernecking

Looking cool is part of the reason why people buy sport coupes instead of sedans, and a good one should turn heads as well as it turns corners. Both of these cars look great from pretty much any angle. The Mustang is all raw power, but its iconic shape has been updated with just enough subtlety that it looks lighter and more elegant than the 2009 version. Cool touches like the sequential turn signals are just icing on the cake. The Hyundai on the other hand is clean and sophisticated, with great details like the sculpted flanks and the taillights. Which is better? It’s close, but as good as the updated Mustang is, it doesn’t break far enough from the 2005-2009 models to generate neck snaps, while the Genesis Coupe gets plenty of “whatkindacarizzat” looks.  Advantage: Genesis Coupe

Bragging

What good is having a cool car without being able to rub it in your friend’s faces? The question though, is which will impress them more. Will they like the classic lines and V-8 power of the Mustang? Or will they go for the sophistication and modernity of the Genesis Coupe? It probably depends on who you hang out with. If your friends get together to watch football in the fall and NASCAR in the summer, the Ford is a clear winner. If your friends TiVo Formula 1 races and have posters of Rhys Millen on their walls, then they might go for the more modern Hyundai. However, this is still America, and the Mustang is as American as apple pie, baseball…and bragging to your friends about your car. Advantage: Mustang

Stealth

While showing off and drifting are all part of the sport coupe experience, we’ve all experienced times — usually right after some horsepower-induced stupidity — that we wish we could just blend in with the crowd. For example, let’s say you lay 100 ft. long tire stripes leaving a stop light. Between these two cars, who are the cops going to immediately suspect, the one with the Hyundai logo, or the one with the horse on the grille? Let’s face it, the Mustang has “Ticket Me!” written on it in multiple languages. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe, however, is an unknown factor, and you could probably get away with more as a result, at least until its reputation grows. Advantage: Genesis Coupe

Badass

If you’re going to drive a car like this, it should make you feel like a badass every time you get behind the wheel. The obvious choice is the burnout-king Mustang, but it’s a tougher call than that. On one hand, the Genesis Coupe rewards with its precise handling, excellent power, and modern good looks. It begs you to find the closest mountain road and tear it up, plus it’s a pretty darn good drift machine. On the other, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT has sophistication and refinement that was unknown to the car just last year, which makes enjoying its muscular V-8 and striking good looks that much easier, and if you’re into drifting, it’s hard to top this car’s low-end torque. For me, it came down to the interior of all things. The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has a nice, pleasant interior, but it’s pretty conventional from a styling point of view. The Mustang, however, boasts cool surroundings and neat touches like the chrome horsies on the door panels, all of it high quality, making me do my best Steve McQueen impression everywhere I went.

Wait…did a Mustang just beat a competitor because of it’s interior? Yes. Advantage: Mustang

Final Score

2010 Ford Mustang GT: 4

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: 3

It was a squeaker, really. I’d gladly park either car in my garage, but in the end, the Mustang just pushed my buttons harder. Sure, it’d probably lose sight of the Genesis Coupe on a twisty mountain road, but between the two, it was just more satisfying from behind the wheel. The clincher was the Mustang’s new interior. If Ford had only made the mechanical changes, and not improved the driver’s compartment, it would have lost. Congrats, Ford. Making the Mustang appealing beyond just burnouts and vroom-vroom is the best way I can think of to celebrate your pony car’s 45th anniversary.

Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the poll below, and give me a piece of your mind in the comments!

2010 Ford Mustang vs. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

2010 Ford Mustang vs. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

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2010 Ford Mustang GT

Photos of the 2010 Ford Mustang GT

21 Photos

 

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Photos of 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

15 Photos

 

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